Austin, there’s yet another reason to get excited about holiday movies. Jared Padalecki, the actor who calls Austin home, is starring in the streamer’s upcoming romantic comedy Guarding Stars, and it looks like the perfect addition to your holiday watchlist.
Best known for his roles in Supernatural, Gilmore Girls and Walker, Padalecki is trading monster hunting for a little romance in the new Netflix movie. If you’re a fan of the Austin-based actor, this one definitely deserves to be on your radar.
What Is Guarding Stars About?
Based on Katherine Center’s bestselling 2022 novel The Bodyguard, Guarding Stars follows Hannah Brooks (played by Leighton Meester), a no-nonsense professional bodyguard who gets an unusual assignment: protecting Hollywood action star Jack Stapleton (played by Padalecki).
When Jack heads home to spend the holidays with his family, he wants to keep the threat of a stalker under wraps. His solution? Have Hannah pretend to be his girlfriend rather than reveal that she’s actually his bodyguard.
Naturally, things get complicated when their pretend relationship starts feeling a little too real. Between family gatherings, holiday festivities and undeniable chemistry, the arrangement sets the stage for a romantic comedy with plenty of opportunities for sparks to fly.
Jared Padalecki Is an Austin Fave
For Austin fans, the biggest draw might be seeing one of our own take the lead in a major Netflix holiday release.
Padalecki has long been associated with Austin, where he lives with his wife Genevieve Padalecki and their family. He became a household name playing Dean Forester on Gilmore Girls before taking on the role of Sam Winchester in Supernatural, which ran for 15 seasons. He later returned to Texas television as the star of Walker, filmed in and around Austin.
Now, he’s adding a holiday rom-com to his résumé. And while we’re always happy to see Austin talent on screen, there’s something especially fun about this one.
Who Else Stars in Guarding Stars?
Padalecki is joined by an impressive cast, including Leighton Meester, best known for playing Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl, as well as actress Andie MacDowell.
The film also features Noah LaLonde (My Life with the Walter Boys), country singer Walker Hayes, Toby Sandeman, Rachael Ancheril, wrestler and actor CM Punk and pop star Ava Max.
Behind the camera, Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, whose directing credits include Purple Hearts and Ginny & Georgia, directs the film.
When Can You Watch Guarding Stars?
Mark your calendars: Guarding Stars premieres globally on Netflix on November 18, 2026, just in time to kick off the holiday movie season.
Whether you know Padalecki as Dean from Gilmore Girls, Sam from Supernatural or Cordell Walker from Walker, this new role gives Austin fans another chance to see the local star in action.
Our verdict? Add it to your holiday watchlist, grab your favorite seasonal snack and get ready for a little romance, a little suspense and a whole lot of Christmas chemistry.
Featured photo by Chris Large/Netflix © 2026
